


Flowery Words

by theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, InoShikaCho, Language of Flowers, Love Confessions, Romance, mentioned!Akimichi Chouji/Karui, past!Nara Shikamaru/Temari, they're only mentioned in passing, this is purely ShikaIno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3880360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs/pseuds/theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Ino was twenty three when she decided it was now or never.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flowery Words

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so so sorry I haven't posted a ShikaIno fic in more than a _month_. It's been a really hard and stressful past few weeks at work and yet I'm still behind on my workload but I really wanted to make it up to my OTP. It's pretty short (the shortest I've done so far) because I did it during a fifteen minute break at work earlier. :)
> 
> Still part of my joint work with tsubasa_1742 for Confessions of Love. Please drop by and leave a kudos if you like it! <3
> 
> By the way, no I'm ignoring _Gaiden_ for now. No one talk to me about it. I might start having Lava Release.

Ino was twenty three when she decided it was now or never.

She shoved the _ikebana_ of flowering dogwood and lavender, right under his nose and glared at him.

Gingerly he took it from her with a confused face.

Her face turned red and sweat rolled down her temple.

"Eh? What's this?" He asked, scratching his own temple with a finger.

"Just take it!" She scowled and walked away.

 _Ugh_ , she groaned as she walked away, heart heavy and arms wrapped around herself carefully. _Trust Shikamaru to never listen to me when I'm teaching him important things!_

Shikamaru frowned to himself and turned to Chouji. Chouji tried to stuff his face with chips so that his laughter would be muffled.

Shikamaru glowered at his best friend and threw a hand up in the air in resignation.

* * *

The next day, the old Team 10 settled themselves in Nara Yoshino's kitchen.

It had been a long live tradition for them to spend Wednesday dinners under the InoShikaCho matriarchs' scrutiny. They exchanged each week. Last week, they had been at Yamanaka Suzuki's. Next week, Akimichi Chihara promised them a feast.

Ino had arrived earlier than the two boys and had helped on dinner. She scowled when she saw Shikamaru and ordered him to set up the table even before Yoshino could start on him. She always was better than his own mother at making him do things.

Yoshino smiled and asked Chouji to help them bring in the food.

* * *

In the midst of the meal, after Chouji had told them shyly about the successful mission in Kumo with _Karui_ , Yoshino piped up.

"How about you, son?" She asked with a smirk. "Too lazy to get yourself a girlfriend, let alone get laid?"

Ino's face turned sour along with Shikamaru's.

Chouji grinned and placed a shrimp in his mouth and watched interestedly.

"Troublesome woman," Shikamaru murmured and Yoshino laughed an evil laugh.

"What?" Yoshino countered, resisting the urge to point the chopsticks in her hand to pinch her snarky son's nose. "I'm old! I want grandchildren! I haven't seen you out on a real date since that girl from Suna!"

"Oh he goes out with women, alright," Ino huffed as she ate. Everyone noted the vein pulsing in her temple. "Just not to date, Yoshino-san! But one of these days, I'm sure a girl or two will come knocking! Ready to introduce a grandchild or two!"

Shikamaru sneered at her and Yoshino growled.

"Shikamaru!" She began.

Shikamaru leaned back on his seat after placing his chopsticks down rudely and crossed his arms.

"Who has time to date these days?" He began, his face smooth and nonplussed. "It's too troublesome and not to mention expensive to take the time to go out for dinner or boring, cheesy movies or picnics and try to get to know each other. I already know everything (too much, really) about Ino. I don't have to date her to reach the enevitable pricey and tedious wedding-to-be."

Every one was silent for a few beats.

Ino turned to Shikamaru with a devious smirk in her face. Her eyes however belated pure joy. "Is that your way of sweet talking?"

He closed an eye and looked at her with the other. A soft smile tugged on one side of his lips.

"Did it work?" He had shrugged and asked.

"Try again."

**Author's Note:**

> Flowers have way too many meanings. Here however, lavenders mean _"I will wait for you."_ and the flowering dogwoods are _"accept my feelings."_
> 
> For the inspiration of the ikebana it's this: https://www.pinterest.com/philootje/flower-arrangements-bloemschikken/
> 
>    
> (I imagine it to look like that.)  
> 


End file.
